This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
As others have documented, whether at a stand still or driving at varying speeds, horn starts beeping on its own along with wipers going and washer fluid spraying. After the event, front A/C control knob starts controlling the back vents or does nothing at all. No center buttons (defrost, A/C, etc..) work - it's like they're all dead. Just purchased vehicle. Will probably return as a lemon.
I was driving about 25 miles down the street, when the car suddenly shut off and jerked to a stop. The windshield wipers in the front and the back of the vehicle started moving without my turning them on. The horn started honking by itself. I was in the middle of the street and cars were driving past my vehicle extremely fast and I feared for the safety of my two children. I continued to try to start the car to get out of the way of the fast moving cars, but the vehicle would not restart for another 20 minutes. Once I was able to get the car out of the intersection, the horn would not stop honking and the windshield wipers kept going even though I did not have the key in the ignition. The doors kept locking and unlocking on its own and I was unable to get out of the car with my two children without assistance from my family members who arrived to assist me. The car has not been driven since this incident and remains parked.
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. While attempting to start the vehicle, the key became lodged between the on and the accessory position. The contact had to apply force to the key to shift into the on position. In addition, the windows failed to function and hot air was emitting from the air vents into the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician was unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The contact stated that four months later, the vehicle failed to start. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V139000 (electrical system) however, the part needed to repair the vehicle was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
While driving the van at 65 mph while on rt.23 on my way to findlay, Ohio, the windshield wipers cycled a couple times, the gauges went to zero, the radio turned off and the warning alarm went off a couple times. This occured twice while I was driving to findlay and twice on my way back home. Each time, the van continued to run. At the time both hands were on the steering wheel. I know the date because I was headed to my son's soccer game at the university of findlay. It was a very un-nerving experience. On other dates the wipers have run by themselves and even sprayed windshield cleaner for a brief period. I have noticed that other people have reported the same behavior on their vans. I wanted to make sure my experience was noted. It appears the situation can become much worse.
We went out to car to get in it, and all doors were locked and would not unlock. Horn started blaring. Windshield wipers went crazy with windshield wiper fluid spraying. Headlights were blinking on and off. Finally able to get in car, things finally calmed down after about 10 - 15 minutes. Next day, we took it to dealership. They tested it, and they said they did not find anything wrong with it. Similar episodes happened after that one which included taking the key out of the ignition, and the car was still running. We took it to a different dealership to have it checked, and they said they could not find anything wrong with it.
- Newnan, GA, USA
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On multiple occasions beginning in June '14 my 08 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT would have random electrical malfunctions including synced, intermittent activation of horns, front wipers, rear wipers, front washer fluid spray, rear washer fluid spray, and door locks. These issues would generally come together in "episodes" that could last from about a minute to about 10 minutes. These episodes could occur in rapid succession, separated by only a few seconds, or they might have 5-10 minutes or sometimes days between happenings. This would cause sudden loss of visibility while driving, as the sprayers would cover the windshield with drops but the wipers would not complete a pass to remove the fluid. It was particularly dangerous at night, since the drops would refract light and make visibility almost zero. This also resulted in being locked out of the vehicle on multiple occasions, once with children trapped inside!! while the problems were happening, the remote "clicker" could not be used to unlock or open doors or lift-gate. The only way to enter the vehicle was to use the physical key and force the lock to turn against the pressure of the powered door lock motor repeatedly re-locking the doors other intermittent problems: Transmission would not advance beyond 2nd gear, the check engine light would come on, the dashboard lights would flash and flicker, the back-up camera would flicker (the image is displayed on the radio's screen when the vehicle is in reverse), the dashboard displays would all be turned off or to zero (including tachometer even though the engine was running), and the engine would not shut off with the key switched to "off" and completely removed. Now, the wipers have stopped working completely, which is a perpetual safety issue, until the problems can be solved. Koons Dodge of tysons corner said the problem was the tpim (totally integrated power module).
Engine shut off complete and hard to control the steering wheel and the brakes don't response at all and Chrysler group llc don't do nothing to fix the problem at all and I have over 5 month still paying the van and I can't drive at all.
Vehicles instrument gauges failed, odometer, compass, and warning lights will not operate. Windshield wiper runs constantly while key is in the on position or motor is running. Headlights stay on, however brights do not illuminate and blinkers do not operate. All other systems are functional.
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the horn and windshield wipers along with fluid activated independently. The contact had to disconnect the terminal battery to shut off the windshield wipers and horn. The dealer was not able to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000.
I was picking up my daughter and opened the door and the horn started blowing, the wipers were going, and the window washer fluid was spraying out. It finally stopped and was fine but has happened multiple times since one time even when I was driving down the rd and now I've had to disconnect the battery but now I can't connect it again because it won't stop going crazy like that.
While my vehicle was parked at a campground, I click my key fob to unlock the door and the rear windshield wiper started going off. Tried to start the vehicle and it would not start, no lights nothing completely dead. The wiper eventually stopped. A few hours later, still parked with no keys in it, the windshield wiper fluid and wipers started after I clicked the unlock button on the key fob again. The fluid kept shooting until it ran out of fluid. Then a few hours later with again no keys in it or key fob use the horn began blaring. Then the lights and wipers went off as well. Finally I was able to get the battery disconnected and it stopped. I reconnected the battery two hours later only to roll up my windows and the horn immediately started going off. I had it towed to the dealership down the street and I am now waiting on the results. I'm glad my family was not with and/ or I was driving.
Purchased this vehicle 6/30/2012 1st incident 8/2012 driving down highway at 65 mph at night in wooded area so it was pitch black and headlights shut off, wipers running and spraying fluid, horn started blaring, outside lights went crazy, gauges went nuts, and power steering went out. Pulled over when we were able (two lane road w/no shoulders) and after a few minutes went back to normal and ran just fine. The second time it happened was in 10/2012 basically same thing was returning from son's football game on a Friday night at midnight and headlights went out, wipers going crazy, and horn blaring, lights going off. Didn't do it again for awhile then since 3/2013 about every 2 to 3 weeks we have this same issue, van can be sitting in drive and still does it. I have had my children in the car on numerous occasions when this has happened and it scares us all to death. We have almost been hit from behind on more than one of these occasions when power steering went out while making a turn, (it slowed the vehicle down to manually turn it) which I could barely do, and almost received a ticket for faulty equipment due to the brake and reverse lights going off on their own (cop gave me a warning this time) after looking up the issue and talking to a mechanic it is a faulty tipm (totally integrated power module), which by the way has been on "backorder" for more than 18 months cause I've been calling on it since 10/2012. I have researched and apparently this is an ongoing issue with this vehicle, there are over 200 of the 420 complaints on this site about this very issue and thousands more online, yet there has not even been an investigation? I guess the NHTSA is not as concerned about safety as they claim to be! there needs to be a recall done for this model and the years affected for the faulty part that's going to end up with someone seriously injured or dead!
The first time it happened was about November 2 and then again on November 23. One the first occurrence I went to open my door and the horn and wipers and wiper fluid started going off. I jump in my ride with the keys in my hand and the van locked me in I was unable to get out and fluid was going all over my garage. Finally the van let me out and we had to pull the battery to get it to stop. It had to sit all day before it would not do those things. Then yesterday I went to walmart and heard an announcement that a vehicle was going crazy in the parking lot. Of course it was mine, I once again had to pull the battery to get it to stop. After a few hours we just pulled all the fuses so that we could get it home. Also for many years now the traction control and brake lights come on in the winter and it starts very funny in the winter. I have read online that this is happening to many many people and it is happening as it is going down the road. I am at this point afraid to drive my van so I am not sure what to do I owe money on this thing. I have taken it to the dealer many times and there are no codes coming up so they said it would probably be like $1000 just for them to figure out what is wrong. There is pages upon pages of people complaining about this, why has Dodge not done a recall are they waiting for someone to get hurt?
I was driving down the highway and my vehicle headlights turned off as well as the engine. The windshield wipers turned on high even though they were in the off position. The car horn was engaged and I had no control over the function of the systems. I was able to start the car but the light would not come on etc. Even with the key removed and the exiting the wipers, horn, hazard lights still were engaged. The car started to spray windshield wiper fluid as well. The locks would unlock and lock as well. Eventually approximately 10 minutes it stopped. I was able to stared the car and moved it to a safe location. I took video of the incident. I am highly concerned as this seems to be a recurring problem based on my research and there definitely could have be a fatality last night!
Our van was parked outside our house (after being driven 6 miles & sitting for 10 minutes) & I started hearing the horn trying to make a honking sound, went outside & noticed the lights flickering, the wipers going at top speed w/washer fluid spraying, & the horn was trying to honk. I tried pushing the unlock button on my key fob & nothing happened. I was able to unlock the door with the key but entering & opening all the doors did nothing. I tried starting the van & it wouldn't stay on. The horn eventually went on at full force & a solid sound. We had to disconnect the battery for it to stop.
When my wife was driving on the highway at 70 mph, with my child. The car died. Wife rolled to side of the road and attempted to start it again. The car started and promptly died again but wipers were going at full speed along with the windshield washer fluid pumping out, and the horns and lights turning on and off, she removed the key and it continued. She had already called me and by the time I got there (approx 15 min) it had shut itself off. I tried to restart it with the same problems as mentioned before. I opened the hood and there was a lot of noise coming from the relay box ( tipm ), I unhooked the battery, and the problem "self resolved" fired up car and drove it the 15 miles home. After looking up problem on line, have found that this is a ongoing issue and that the repair part is back ordered nationally, tells me that this is an ongoing issue, Chrysler does know about but has not done anything about it. This is a major safety issue.
The first incident occurred while care was sitting in the driveway, no key in it. Horn started going wipers and wiper fluid started going full speed, and lights started flashing, door locks engaged and could not be stopped by key fob. This continued for about 10 minutes. I had to pull the fuses and disconnect the battery to get it to stop. Took the car to dealership twice who stated there is nothing wrong with the van. The van continues to do this intermittently. Most recent incident driving down the highway 60 mph with children in the car when all the previous symptoms started to occur and gauges would drop to zero and then back up over and over again. All lights went out at this time and transmission began malfunctioning. I was barely able to pull the car off to the side of the road where it continued to do this for 15 minutes. The third time I took it in they reported it was my tipm and want over $1100 to replace it. I called Dodge customer service and explained the issue hoping they would fix it without cost to me or offer some solution. Their rep was very rude and told me to try what the dealership suggested. I expressed how it is a design/manufacturing flaw and got the reply, "well MA'am, there is no recall on this so there is nothing we can do". I informed him I would never buy another Dodge/Chrysler vehicle and received the reply "ok, have a good day". he then hung up on me. This is a serious safety issue and after reading many forums have realized I am not the only one experiencing this issue...Dodge needs to be held accountable!
At random times the horn, flashers, and wipers will turn on.this has happened while driving the vehicle and has happened when the vehicle was turned off, without anyone inside the van. Disconnecting the battery has been the way to stop the problem. Dealer could not find anything wrong and guessed that it was the tipm. This has occurred on numerous occasions and does seam to be a safety issue when the vehicle is in operation. Obviously from the number of complaints that I have seen, NHTSA should investigate and Chrysler needs to do a recall.
I was driving home at 10:30 at night on Thursday the 15th of November 2012 driving 65 mph on state highway 64 in pawnee county Oklahoma and the windshield wipers went on by themselves and then the head lights went off by themselves. I took the vehicle to the Dodge dealer and they recommended that I replace a clock spring but weren't even sure if that would fix the headlight issue. Not to mention charging me $300 for the part when I have the extended electronics warranty on the vehicle. I feel that this is a very major safety issue and Dodge needs to look into it further and correct the issue at no charge to the owners, this is obviously a manufacturer defect. There is no reason this vehicle should have this issue. It is a liability to Dodge if not corrected. Please look into this issue as it could end up costing someone their life. I would like to make sure that this gets looked into. Please send me a supervisors number or email so I make sure this gets attention. If I do not hear something back within 48 hours, I will contact the secretary of transportation myself, a Mr. Ray lahood through senator coburn. I am really pissed off about the situation. You drive down a road with your family in the dark of night and unexpectedly your headlights go out and you risk your families life. Dodge didn't act like it was a big deal, but it could end up being a major liability for them if they do not remedy the situation.
Upon entering vehicle pressing keyfob to unlock any door or hatch the horn would start to sound, the windshield wipers (front and rear) would start to go on its on including windshield wiper fluid as well, lights would start to flash as well. I would have to open up the hood and hit the fuse box located next to the battery on the drivers side firewall just to get it to stop. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership on several ocassions to no avail because they cannot duplicate the problem and now I am out a diagnostic fee of $94 X2 and the cost of a rental car both times for my wife and three children because my 100% full warranty does not cover the cost of the rental because the problem could not be duplicated. After searching and reading about this problem that my wife and I are having with this cara van I think something should be done before someone is seriously hurt or killed by the Caravan doing something that it was not asked to do!!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Las Vegas, NV, USA